We don’t do this for Ourselves, we do this for EVERYONE!

“Good infrastructures and facilities are fundamental requirement necessary to be built for everyone.”, said Manit, a campaigner for PWDs’ right. He strongly confirms that it is government’s duty to provide public services for everybody in the society with equality and justice.

It has been two years that the leaders from Transport for All came to the front line to demand good accessibility of public facilities for commuting after BTS delayed to complete all priority elevators on its 23 stations, even the Supreme Court has commanded to finish it within one year, which its deadline was January 1, 2015. The Transport for All filed a civil suit to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, or BMA, which failed to complete the task in time, with recovering damages of 360,000 Baht/ person for loss of inconveniences and opportunities.

The group’s demand and court measure to BMA gained huge attention from the public and delivered intense pressure to BMA’s Management Team. It powerfully stimulated Mr.Pol Gen Asawin Kwanmuang , the current Governor of Bangkok, to quickly install all priority elevators, which partly already completed in the beginning of March. The first 11 priority elevators had been opened in service at four BTS stations; three at Ratchadamri Station, three at Phrom Phong Station, three at Thong Lo Station, and two at On Nut Station. The Governor of Bangkok promised that he would make the completion at the remaining stations within August this year.

All of these events had been done in rush before the civil court begins hearing of evidence on March 21, 2017.

Today we got an opportunity to have a talk with Mr. Manit, one of the group’s leader, who became well-known from his powerfully viral video about his campaigns to protect the right of disabled people. His widespread video had also extremely built the awareness among people in the society.

He told that our Constitution stated that we have equal human right. We should have equality because we were human and everyone was born equally. All of us could be a disabled person, if we didn’t die too young. For example, when you got old, you might have to use a stick or wheelchair to facilitate your living. Thus, well-preparing infrastructure was not only the case of disabled people, but it’s also a long-term investment for everyone.

He said that the demand of public facilities and BTS’s priority elevators from Transport for All group were among various cases the group were requesting. Ordinary people can comfortably go to anywhere but for PWDs people, they need more extra accessibilities, such as a slope or an elevator, to facilitate them.

“The perception of ordinary people toward PWDs is still greatly distant. Some of them think that it’s for just a specific group of people. However, what we are demanding to the public is crucially necessary for everyone and to make anyone has equal right because disabled and ordinary people , even in the modern day, still have unequal opportunities.”

He added that he realized he got some disability since he was young, that’s why he needed some extra accessible environments, assistive devices, or supportive services to substitute his impairment in order to live life normally so that could improve his own potentials. He confessed that PWDs got fewer opportunities. Also, poor infrastructure and impractical accessibility strengthened Thai society’s perception toward PWDs that they all were unable to depend on themselves. Although it’s not always true as there were still some PWDs that were real fighters and didn’t give up by their poor conditioning.

Basically, people don’t want to be helped all the time. We all have honor and prestige in our own and being able to depend on ourselves is one great purpose for everybody. According to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s speech which stated that, “A project to help disabled people is crucially significant as disabled people do not want to be disabled. They just want to be able to stand on their own feet. If we are not able to work for our life and for our family, it would be tough for our own family and for the public. Thus, the policy is to help them to help themselves, to be useful for our society.”

He once again confirmed that demanding to have priority elevators on BTS was just one among accessible environments he wished to happen, to create equality and justice, or even to build equal access of opportunities for everyone in the society. He didn’t want this demanding disappeared by time. Non-disabled people might not recognize its necessity and their chances to usability, but disabled people truly did. Building accessible environments was a reflection of citizen who thought they deserved what were good and right.

A voice from this group of people reflects a fundamental desire we all hold the same, equality and justice. Their voice presents fresh perspectives through the lens of possibilities some of us might miss out its hidden value. This movement attempts to give back equality, to respect each other, and to set a new standard for our society.

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This is an English version translated by AccessibilityIsFreedom Translation Team.

The article & picture published by PostToday.
Link: https://www.posttoday.com/social/general/485876